If you’re an avid follower of Nintendo news you might remember the exciting discovery of the device that was eventually coined the “Nintendo PlayStation,” which we went over in-depth, back in July.
Unfortunately, soon after its reveal the source went dark, fearing they’d accidentally break the system by hastily turning it on. However, after months of waiting, we finally have more information, thanks to the father and son team of Terry and Dan Diebold showing off the device at a recent Hong Kong retro gaming expo.
In an in-depth interview held with Engadget the two go over their history with the device and its surprisingly humble origins; apparently it was picked up for a mere $75 as part of a company auction in 2009. Sadly, they didn’t know of its significance at the time, hiding it away in an attic until the day Terry came across online chatter about the infamous Nintendo and Sony deal of the early ’90s.
Reportedly, only 200 prototypes of the system were made, so the duo have a genuine gaming artifact on their hands. They were, thankfully, more than willing to show off as much of the system as possible, even going ahead with an X-ray scan to show a precise look at its innards. You can see some of these images in the gallery below, and check out more from Engadget’s own gallery.
The software cart containing the CD bios, a vital part of booting inserted CDs, is too badly damaged to work, but they hope to find a way to diagnose the specific problem with help from retro console repair technician Daniel Cheung.
The Diebold’s have received offers up to $45,000 in order to buy the system; however, in an effort to preserve gaming history, they say they would rather it end up in a museum someday.
Would you love to see just what this peripheral was capable of? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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